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Chapter 18:
The Dragon's Tale
Sasori's laboratory was appropriately akin to a scorpion's nest.
Dark, humid and cold, the hideout had been built underground, underneath the Land of Wind's warm sands. One of Akatsuki's numerous bases across the continent, this hideout contained many treasures and experimental devices, the fruits of Sasori's collaboration with his old partner Orochimaru.
"Take everything you can find," Tobi ordered his men, "Researches notes, weapons, test subjects. When we leave in two hours, we're going to bomb this lab to cover our tracks. Leave nothing of value behind."
The multiple missing-ninjas, the grunts and cannon fodder of the organization, quickly obeyed Akatsuki's new leader, while Kakuzu followed his commander through the dark corridors. As the oldest and most competent member of Akatsuki left, he had been officially promoted to second-in-command. "You're truly mobilizing all our forces," Kakuzu noted, "But I don't see how a bunch of dolls are going to help us attack the Summit."
"It's not Sasori's dolls," Tobi said, "It's a collaboration project with Orochimaru Pain commissioned a year ago that has my attention."
They arrived in front of a door, protected by dozens of seals. Nobody should have been able to cross it without Sasori's authorization, but Tobi wasn't anybody. Grabbing Kakuzu, he phased through the door without a care in the world.
Sasori's personal quarters were pretty disturbing, even by the lab's standards.
The walls were covered with human-sized dolls of androgynous features. Under the light of the room's electric lamps, some appeared alive, glaring and smiling at the Akatsuki members. A few were probably back-up bodies, others mere unfinished weapons.
An item in a corner, however, attracted Tobi's attention.
It was a small dollhouse, containing a set of very realistic puppets. They were perfect replicas of a child Sasori, his parents, his grandparents, Nagato… and Kushina and Naruto Uzumaki.
I guess in the end, this fool only desired a family of his own. Obito glanced at Naruto's puppet. Don't worry, Sasori. I will send him join you in the afterlife soon enough.
Tobi grabbed Naruto's imitation, and crushed it with his nimble fingers. Then, with a simple Katon, he set the dollhouse on fire.
"Why did you do that?" Kakuzu asked disapprovingly. "An art collector would have paid us good for it."
"Too hideous for that," Tobi shrugged, switching subject. "Besides, soon, you will have all the money you can ask for. Has Hidan been recovered?"
"Hidan has been freed and put under control," Kakuzu explained, "Due to his immortality, Orochimaru used him as a test subject for experiments that should have been lethal. He's stronger than ever, if a bit… unstable."
"With the rods, he should be manageable."
"As long as I am around, yes, he is. Honestly, at this point, he would just obey anyone giving him the ability to kill anything in his path."
"Good. Now we just need this weapon and the pieces shall be set for the checkmate."
At this moment, he found them. Thirteen canisters, each of them with a red scorpion symbol painted on, alongside the word 'dangerous'. The criminal carefully grabbed one and presented it to his accomplice. "What's that?"
"Our ace in the hole," Tobi said, "With it, our… Secret Invasion will be a shining success."
Her movements were but a blur, her skin and hair nothing but a grey mirage. Not because of her respectable speed, no, but because his eyes had deteriorated to the point he had trouble following her moves.
Itachi couldn't even see colors anymore.
The Uchiha genius grunted as Yugao skillfully managed to push him back against a tall tree. He narrowly dodged a bark-shattering punch, moving behind his sparring partner and attempting to hit her neck with his palm.
Instead, she leaned like a snake, retaliating with a kick which he parried with his forearm. The next second, Yugao had rotated and faced him, obviously enjoying the thrill of the fight. Itachi managed to keep a straight face, but didn't share her enthusiasm. He had never been the most enduring member of his clan, and his entire fighting style revolved around hitting hard and fast. In a battle of attrition, she definitively had the advantage.
Worse, his lungs felt on fire, and he struggled against his own body with each move until finally his body won.
He put his hands over his mouth, in order to hide the fact he was coughing blood.
Yugao stopped her assault, her eyes frowning. "When were you going to tell us?" she asked.
She had figured it out. "Never."
"I recognize those symptoms," she began, "My late boyfriend had them too. You feel tired, you can never sleep, you have trouble breathing and cough up blood. Is your partner even aware of it?"
"He suspects something," Itachi admitted, "But I do not fight much these days, nor spar with him." His techniques tend to attract too much attention. "I do not intend to bother Kisame with it. I owe him this much."
"You're aware this illness will kill you within five years at best if you do nothing?"
"That's more than enough time."
"Your life doesn't have to end so quickly," Yugao countered, "There are medical treatments. They cannot purge the disease, but they can slow off the effects, and extend your life. You could live well past your fifties. Tsunade-sama might even cure you."
"All I wish is to kill Pain," Itachi replied, "Living past his death never entered my mind."
Yugao locked eyes with him. "Dying won't bring back your brother."
Itachi felt as if he had been slapped on the face. Indeed, she had hit home. "You cannot understand," he replied, "I sacrificed everything for Sasuke. Everything. I forfeited my reputation, my future, my honor, my entire family for his sake. I was ready to forfeit my life, to die at his hand and go down in history as the villain, if it meant keeping him safe. Then Pain…"
Itachi struggled to repress the memory of his brother's brutal death, glancing away. Yugao put her hand on his shoulder. "I never was as attached to Sasuke as you had," she admitted, "But I lost people very dear to me too. I know how it feels. That sense of loss, that despair… you mustn't let it consume you."
"You have other loved ones, other reasons to live," Itachi replied, "I have nothing left. Nothing. Everything I did, everyone I sacrificed… all pointless. All I have now is my revenge."
"Imagine you kill Pain, then what?" Yugao frowned. "You will simply lay down and die?"
"Yes," Itachi confirmed bluntly, "I will face punishment for my sins. The Uchiha Clan and its curse will end with me."
Her expression turned from sympathy to disapproval. "You think your entire family deserved to die?"
"We Uchiha have brought the world nothing but pain and misery," Itachi said, "Had it not been for us, the Kyuubi would not have laid waste to Konoha, and Akatsuki would not threaten the world today. Sasuke was my, our last hope of redemption, and now-"
"Itachi Uchiha," Yugao cut in, her eyes growing cold, "You are being selfish."
Itachi clenched his fists in anger. To her credit, Yugao didn't flinch at the tremendous killing intent he exuded. "You have no right to say this," he spat venomously, his stoic mask finally breaking.
"You are being selfish," Yugao held her ground, "You pretend you loved Sasuke, but you never considered how he felt about all of this. I have seen the reports on the Uchiha Massacre. You used the Tsukiyomi on your brother, and forced him to watch the murder of his parents, of his entire family, multiple times."
"It was necessary for-"
"You mentally tortured your seven yearold brother and turned him into a revenge-obsessed ninja," Yugao snapped, "You did intentionally, all so you could turn Sasuke into a pawn into your own suicidal scheme. At no point did you ever consider the effect on Sasuke's mental health and happiness."
Itachi felt silent. In spite of keeping her calm tone, Yugao radiated with cold fury. "You robbed your brother of his childhood," she continued, "He never opened to anyone, until Naruto and Han managed to break past his shell. If your plan had worked perfectly, if he had followed the script you wrote for him, what do you think would have happened? Sasuke would have grown up as broken man, and would probably have died an early death on the battlefield. At worst, he would have become just as bad as Pain."
"I did it for Sasuke's own good," Itachi replied, aware how weak the defense sounded.
"No. You did it for the sake of your goal. Not Sasuke's. You never cared about the person he was, only what he represented to you."
Yugao shook her head. "You have tunnel vision, Itachi-san," she said, "You see an end goal, but you ignore everything else. You try to do everything yourself, because you think you know better. You don't see the consequences of your actions, nor what will happen once your goal fulfilled. And now you have lost your goal, all you can think about is taking revenge, no matter the cost to yourself and others."
Yugao shook her head. "How can you think you will defeat Pain," she continued, "When you act the same?"
Itachi felt his heart stop beating.
I turned into Madara.
He didn't know which hurt more. The fact she had a point, or the realization he had repeated the same exact mistakes as his own ancestor.
He wondered if the Shodai had had a similar conversation with Madara, after the death of the latter's brother. Had the Uchiha lord even considered those words? Or had he been too blinded by his own pain to listen?
"I agree Pain and Akatsuki must be stopped," Yugao said, "But not like this. Not if it means killing yourself."
Itachi observed her in silence for a time, before finding his words. "Why do you wish for me to live?" he asked, honestly puzzled. "I am a criminal. A mass-murderer. A kin slayer. A… a monster."
He clenched his teeth. "A failure."
"Because, in spite of everything you did… you're not a bad man, Itachi-san."
Yugao crossed her arms. "We have been traveling together for some time, and I have had the opportunity to observe you. You are not the monster you think you are, Itachi-san. You are simply someone who made mistakes. You are someone intense. You care too much, be it about your successes or failures, and you let your grief consume you."
"That is all I have left."
"No," she replied, "It's never too late to change, to try rebuilding your life. For all it's worth… I don't think neither your brother, had he known about the truth, nor your parents, would have wanted you to waste your life. They would have wanted you to live… and to find happiness at last."
Try… living? Not to live as he had survived, as a walking corpse awaiting his long overdue execution, but live? Attempt to build himself a new home, to continue the Uchiha's line? To create himself a new family? Try to move on past Sasuke's death?
Those were thoughts he never considered, ever since he forfeited everything on that night.
"The way we think is different, but… I'm still proud of you…"
His father's last words resonated through Itachi's mind. He wanted to say something, anything… and found he couldn't. For maybe the first time in his life, he truly felt at loss of words.
"That's alright," Yugao said, as if she had read his mind, "I don't expect you to accept right away… only to consider it."
She turned her back on him. "We should go rejoin the others. The route is still long?"
"Yugao-san?" She turned around to face him. "… thank you."
She smiled. "You're welcome."
"You know, brat, out of all the hideouts you could have used," Jiraiya snorted, "Did you really have to hide in a cave? A dark humid cave full of reptiles?"
"Make no mistake, Jiraiya," the White Snake Sage warned lowly, glaring at the Toad Sannin, "Your presence is only tolerated because it cannot be avoided. Your toad smell disgusts me so much it is difficult to resist the urge of eating you. Do not tempt me."
Naruto rolled his eyes, although he wasn't very surprised. It had taken him days to convince the White Sage to allow Jiraiya entry in the snake's lair, and had not the current matter been serious enough to threaten the entire Ryuchi Cave, he would have probably refused. "Peace, gentlemen, gentlesnakes," Naruto said in an appeasing manner. "We're all friends there."
"I still think you would be safer in Mount Myoboku," Jiraiya snorted, causing the White Sage to hiss threateningly.
"I have nothing against toads, but most of my stuff is there," Naruto shrugged. "Could you all please bury the hatchet? We're running out of time."
He could sense it, the undercurrent of pain beneath his skin, the Kyuubi's chakra leaking from the seal into his deficient chakra coil. The monster's prison weakened with each passing seconds, and soon, the Nine Tails might try to break out by force.
"Don't worry about it, kid, reinforcing your seal will not be difficult," Jiraiya said, "I had always feared we might have to do this, in case its power were to be overused. It's your other operation that worries me."
"We have to," Naruto replied, "It's the only way to get reliable info on Akatsuki before the summit begins."
Jiraiya frowned. "According to my contacts, Akatsuki has recalled most of its operatives, and shut down many of its operations in the Shinobi nations. They're gathering their forces, from the mercenaries under their employ to the remnant of Orochimaru's Hidden Sound. It's obvious they intend to attack the summit… it's what they intend to gain out of this that worries me."
"Attacking the summit would only result in the Shinobi Nations banding against and annihilate them," Naruto noted, "The attack will be a cover for something more insidious… and this might be the only way to discover Akatsuki's true plan."
"You do realize what might happen if it goes wrong?" Jiraiya said. "That bastard put a little of his soul inside the cursed seal. It might… no, will try to take over."
"That's a risk I'm willing to try. Besides, if anyone can ensure the operation's success, it's you."
Jiraiya smirked, albeit only a little. "Ah, so you do believe in my priceless expertise, brat?"
"Yeah," Naruto said, "I trust in your expertise… godfather."
Jiraiya tensed, although he didn't appear much surprised. "So you learned about your heritage…" the Sage said. "I… I'm sorry not to have been there to watch over you, Naruto."
"All I want to know is why?" Naruto asked, unable to suppress the venom in the last word, "Why didn't you tell me sooner, about you… about my father? Why weren't you there in my childhood?"
"I… never really was parent material," Jiraiya admitted, "I'm… I'm a failure, Naruto. Every time I tried to help people, it never worked. I failed your father and his teammates, I failed your mother, I failed my own friends, I failed my teammates… I even failed with Nagato, Konan and Yahiko. I thought… I thought the Sandaime would do a better job at watching over you."
The Sannin glanced away. "As for why I didn't tell you the truth… to be honest, I never intended to tell it at all. I thought you would be crushed if you learned that the man who sealed the Kyuubi inside you, condemning you to a life of misery and hardship, was your own father."
"The bitter truth is better than the sweetest lie," Naruto said, "I don't hate my father for what he did. It was either me or dozens of thousands dying. If I had been in his place… I'm not really sure I would have done differently. And neither do I hate you for your choices, old pervert."
"Really?" Jiraiya couldn't hide his surprise. Obviously, he had expected a rant or worse. "But I-"
"You aren't a failure," Naruto replied, "You're one of the bravest Shinobi I've met. You came to rescue me from Ame, risking your life and an international incident. You're not perfect, yes… but I've made terrible mistakes of my own. I think… it's time we look toward the future, instead of the past. Pain couldn't. Let's not make the mistake he did."
He offered his hand to his godfather. "Let's face Akatsuki together, shall we?"
Jiraiya smiled sadly, and shook the hand. "Thanks… godson."
"While I find this scene touching," the White Sage cut in, "Could we please address the current matter?"
"Oh, right," Naruto said, "Time to show the furball who's the boss."
"Oh, look, here is history's greatest mass murderer." Naruto clenched his fists, as he walked in front of the Kyuubi's cage. "Have you finally came to your senses?"
"Yes. Took long enough."
The Kyuubi raised its eyebrow, and smirked. "Finally! Rip this seal open, and then embrace my full power!"
"No." Naruto crossed his arms. "I'm not letting you get out. I have come to tell you farewell. After all of what we have gone through together, I thought it would be an act of courtesy."
The Kyuubi raised its head, suddenly confused. "What the hell are you talking about? You can't get rid of me, boyo. Not until you die."
"Oh, I won't get rid of you," Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "I'm going to imprison you forever."
"Imprison me?" The fox's eyes widened considerably. "Ah, I see. You think you can repair your seal and lock me up. Well, genius, let me tell you something: there will be a day when you will call on me, and I will be free again."
"If you could react to any call, perhaps, but what's going to happen is a little different." Naruto chuckled. "Jiraiya is currently preparing to put a new seal over the Yondaime's. This addition will break the connection between us, burying you deep inside me. You won't be able to influence the world outside, and your chakra won't be able to get out of the seal, even if I am dying. In short, you're going to spend the rest of my life here, alone, with only darkness and silence for company. No priceless minutes of freedom, no discussion with anyone. Just solitary confinement for decades."
The Kyuubi ground his teeth. "You won't have the guts."
"Oh, but that's only the first part," Naruto continued. "You see, when I will be about to die of old age or when I think it is time, the White Sage will move the seal, and you alongside it, most probably inside a pot. And you're going to spend eternity buried in the Ryuchi Cave, where no one will ever try to find and free you. You will spend all of eternity there, alone, until the sun dies out."
Naruto snorted at the monster's increasing rage. "If you want to get a picture of your future, imagine yourself in this cell, alone in the dark, screaming, yet with no one to answer you. Forever."
At that time, the Kyuubi was done talking. Instead he attempted to punch his prison's bars, trying to reach Naruto with his claws. Unfortunately for the Bijuu, its Jinchuuriki was too far away.
"You little piece of human shit!" The Nine-Tailed Fox snarled, oozing with fury. "I will destroy this seal and rip you apart into a thousand tiny pieces!"
The blonde snorted. "You know, Obito sounded a lot more terrifying than you. If you wish to intimidate me, you should try something better."
"I will murder you and everyone you ever cared about!"
"No you won't," Naruto snorted. "I let you cause enough damage already. Through me, you killed thousands, and this will be your punishment for this crime."
"You're as guilty as I am!" The Bijuu hissed. "You let me out, you called me! You didn't resist!"
"Yes, and just like you I will face my own punishment in time. But trust me, I think my eventual fate will be a lot more enviable than yours."
Naruto turned his back on the Kyuubi. "You shouldn't have harmed any innocent, and you certainly shouldn't have ever threatened Tenten."
"Don't act almighty with me! You think you're so better than me or Obito, or Pain? We both know what you truly are! A miserable pile of self-hatred and jealousy! And we both know without my power you don't stand a chance against Akatsuki!"
Naruto snorted, and turned his head, side glancing at the monster. "Really, because you taught me there was something better than power. Something than all the strength and might in the world will never defeat."
The Kyuubi snorted. "Nothing is stronger than me. So come on, bring it. Whatever secret weapon you have, I will overcome it."
Naruto shrugged. "My secret weapon is already in place," he said, glancing at the seal, "So come on, break it. Show me how strong you are."
The fox snarled angrily and attempted to claw the Shinigami's seal, without success. Its claws bounced off the paper sheet, unable to damage it. Yet, the fox's pride was too great for it to abandon, even in the face of certain defeat.
"It's useless," Naruto commented, "If you could have done broken it, you would have done it years ago. In the end, in spite of your colossal power, you just aren't strong enough to get past a piece of paper."
The Jinchuuriki smiled. "That's what you taught me: no matter how strong the opposition is, there is always something against which it is vulnerable. There is a right tool to overcome any challenge. For Dosu, it was his dependence on a drug. For you, it's a seal. For Obito and Pain, more creative strategies will be required, but I know what to do and I will beat both of them."
That one is for you, Tenten. "You may be able to cause tsunami and hurricanes, but you won't be able to break these bars," he whispered, "And when you will feel the seal get stronger than ever, then you shall know I have well and truly defeated you. Farewell."
Naruto started walking away, into the darkness. He felt the Kyuubi glare at his back, its bravado quickly turning into fear.
"Wait, come back!" Naruto ignored the beast's yelling. "You're making a foolish mistake! I know we haven't been on good terms, but I'm sure we can reach an agreement!"
"Why negotiate when I hold all the cards in my hands?"
"I can give you power beyond your wildest dreams! More than any man, even Uchiha Madara! I could give you like, half of my chakra! Enough to blow up mountains with a single finger! How does that sound?" When the Bijuu realized Naruto wasn't paying attention, it switched tactics. "Look, Naruto, don't you want to learn anything about your clan and your parents? Because I'm the only witness left alive, if you seal me off, you will never know the entire truth!"
"While I'm happy you finally bothered calling me by my name," Naruto said, "I've let my past behind. Besides, I have other, more reliable information sources."
"I will do everything you want!" The Kyuubi shouted. "Everything!"
"There is nothing you have that interests me. Farewell, furball."
"Please! I… I beg you…"
The pitiful tone actually made Naruto stop. The Nine-Tailed Fox's voice had lost all of its arrogance and bravado, the creature being reduced to begging for its life.
"I beg you… don't leave me alone down there… I don't… I just wanted to get out! I just wanted to be free!"
"To be free to murder thousands?"
"They deserved it!" The Kyuubi snarled bitterly. "They're greedy, hateful creatures! The Sage taught them ninjutsu to bring peace, but they used it to wage war instead! Then they exploited this power to bind me and my fellow Bijuu! They all deserve to suffer as I did!"
"And it gives you the right to destroy thousands of lives?" Naruto glared at the Bijuu. "Don't play the victim card with me. I had every reason to hate mankind for rejecting me, but I didn't try to blow up entire settlements… intentionally. I tried to rise above it, you didn't. You're just an all-powerful bully trying to justify his actions."
"You can't understand," the Nine-Tailed Fox growled. "You're just like my previous containers… you try to paint yourself as a paragon of goodness, but underneath, you're as selfish as any other human. You just don't give a shit about how a Bijuu feel."
Naruto frowned, as an idea crossed his mind. "To be truthful, furball… there is something you have that interest me."
"What? Tell me!" The fox exulted, finally finding an opening. "Don't keep me confined, and I will give to you!"
"Give? It's not something that can be given, it's something you earn." Naruto locked eyes with the monster.
"Let's make a little bet."
Naruto opened his eyes, sensing the Kyuubi's chakra receding into the seal, and Jiraiya touching his exposed chest, adding locks and protections to the seal. "Alright, I restored the seal back to its original state," Jiraiya explained, "Now, I will just have to add a few reinforcements and-"
"It won't be necessary anymore," Naruto said. "I resolved the issue."
"You what?"
"The furball and I had a longer conversation than I expected," Naruto explained, "We've made… a bet. If I don't ever use his power again and defeat Akatsuki without it, then it will give me something priceless."
"And if you lose?" Jiraiya's eyes opened wide. "You agreed to do something really stupid, do you?"
"Yeah… but if I do win, then it will be worth the risk."
"And you trust the Kyuubi to agree to your terms? Why?"
"The fact that if he does cheat, then it will prove me right and his entire justification for everything it ever did was wrong," Naruto replied, "And if I call his power, which I won't ever do, then the Kyuubi will feel validated. So no, it won't try to break the rules, because it is already convinced I will call upon its power again."
Jiraiya fell into deep silence, making Naruto narrow his eyes. "You're going to try and convince me to drop it, right?" He asked. "I did blunder pretty badly after all. I won't blame you if you insist on increasing the seal's protections. To be honest, I'm not even sure I-"
"I would lie if I said it wasn't an unnecessary risk," the Sannin cut in, "But if you think you have to do it, and that you can do it… then you've got my full support."
"Really?" Naruto's head perked up. "Why?"
"Why?" Jiraiya smiled. "Because you're the most surprising ninja I met. If you think you can succeed, then I trust you to do the impossible."
Somehow, that amount of trust from such a powerful ninja, no, the closest thing he could ever hope to have a parental figure after the Sandaime, made Naruto feel prouder than he had been in a long time. "You just made my heart so warm and fuzzy you know?" he deadpanned. "Thanks you, Ero-Sennin."
Jiraiya let out a groan, before turning serious. "So… now is time for the second operation."
"You think it can work?"
"As I told you when I examined your Cursed Seal, Orochimaru put a little of his chakra in it, to better influence you and Sasuke," Jiraiya explained, "If I alter it a little, then indeed, it might grant you full access to it. I can't make the experience last long, for it might result in whatever is left of my teammate inside the seal trying to take over, but you'll briefly gain access to his memories."
"Orochimaru belonged to Akatsuki for years," Naruto said, "If I can gain insight on their plans, it might decide the fate of the entire summit."
"You do realize you're going to briefly peak into a psychopath's mind?" Jiraiya asked. "It will be disturbing. Maybe even painful."
"Meh, I can take it."
"Well then, if you insist," Jiraiya touched the Cursed Seal with his index, "Three, two, one…"
Suddenly, Naruto found his brain assaulted with a flood of images, sounds… and screams.
The very first memory he got, was that of Orochimaru vivisecting a poor man alive, methodically opening his insides with a scalpel. The victim screamed, and Naruto experienced Orochimaru's sickening joy. The madman could have knocked out his test subject, but he found the man's reaction much more pleasant than mere painless surgery.
Then, Naruto saw a slaughter, a bloody massacre as the Sannin unleashed a torrent of snakes upon Iwa-nins, tearing them to shreds. He left one alive, briefly faking mercy… only to crush that hope instantly by beheading him with the Kusanagi.
The following memories were simply disgusting, each new one topping the former in horror. Tortures, lethal experiments, or even the first time Orochimaru performed his soul-stealing jutsu on one of his own, loyal men. Although he could gain great medical and practical knowledge from observing them, Naruto banished these souvenirs of atrocities in the deepest corner of his mind. A knowledge earned this way wasn't worth such a ghastly price.
With much difficulty, Naruto managed to push back those horrifying souvenirs, trying to stay calm. It felt like when he had been possessed in Ame, struggling against a power devouring him from the inside, vying for control. But Orochimaru's remaining memories were nothing but small fishes compared to the Kyuubi's malice. With effort, Naruto managed to push them back and delved deeper inside the madman's memories.
As he progressed deeper into Orochimaru's souvenirs, Naruto realized the psycho's terrible technique had a hidden cost. Many memories were damaged, or incomplete. Orochimaru remembered he had had parents, but couldn't remember what they looked like, or what he felt toward them. Jiraiya was nothing but a blur, instead of an individual.
Jumping from body to body had progressively corroded Orochimaru's soul, damaging it. No wonder he had grown mentally unstable.
One memory, however, was incredibly vivid. The death of his first genin students.
Before taking Anko under his wing, Orochimaru had taught a group of ninjas, one of them Nawaki, Tsunade's brother. A mission had turned into a disaster, and the entire team had been wiped out. All the snake could bring back to Tsunade had been Nawaki's necklace. Although he had tried to appear uncompassionate and callous, Naruto could feel the anguish and dread Orochimaru had experienced at seeing his protégées die so pointlessly.
That day awakened something in Orochimaru. A primal fear of death that would push him on dark paths.
In the end, Orochimaru was nothing more, deep down, than someone that at a decisive moment, chose to fear death instead of accepting it. But unlike most, the Snake Sannin's entire life started revolving around avoiding the inevitable, no matter the cost.
It could have been tragic, if the lengths he had gone through, out of sheer selfishness, hadn't been so extreme. In the end, for all his bravado… Orochimaru was only a man too stubborn to accept the inevitable.
Naruto didn't care what Orochimaru had or could have been, however. He wanted information on Akatsuki, and focused on trying to locate them.
Naruto then watched some souvenirs of Orochimaru's time in the organization, of how Konan had approached him with an offer of membership and unlimited resources, in exchange for doing what he did best. The blonde ninja witnessed how Orochimaru had partnered with Sasori, and developed both a grudging respect for the other's work and theories about immortality through body enhancement, and a raging hate for an individual he couldn't manipulate.
Naruto absorbed the information like a sponge. Akatsuki's efforts to topple the governments of the Ninja Nations; how they had drained Kusagakure dry of their ninjas to bolster their own forces; how they had subtly taken over Suna from the inside; how they had started and profited from minor border conflicts during the last two decades; and finally, how they had intended to rule the world through shifting the balance of power in their favor.
Then, Naruto found the answers he was looking for.
"I am very pleased with your gift, Zetsu," Orochimaru told someone in the shadows, as he examined an unconscious man lying on an operation table. "I had thought this particular experiment had failed. It appears I am even more skilled than I thought."
His fellow could hardly be called a man. Although dressed in an Akatsuki cloak, the creature looked more like a monstrous plant than anything else. "We have gone through some trouble to get this to you. It could be used as your new body, and grant you access to the Mokuton."
"And you wish for compensation?" Orochimaru smirked. "A favor?"
"Our clones have the ability to shapeshift," 'Zetsu' declared, "They are impossible to detect, even with a Byakugan. Trust us, we checked."
"And slowly but surely, you used them to kill and replace sensitive individuals, placing sleeper agents for our organization in the higher echelons of enemy organizations," the Sannin replied, "No need to remind me of it. I know it's Sasori's job to handle the infiltration of other nations, but I do check up on his progresses from time to time."
"Unfortunately, we discovered a… little problem in this strategy," Zetsu explained. "The clones have a flaw."
"Really?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. "Do they dissipate over time? I thought they could not be dispelled?"
"They cannot, but we have discovered the transformation reverts upon death, If an infiltrated clone were to regain its original shape if accidentally killed, our operations might be discovered and scrapped. None has been discovered thus far, but we believe in reducing the risks."
"Then you wish for me to correct this defect? I cannot do this unless you allow me to dissect one of your clones."
"But you can solve this problem."
"Who do you think you are talking to?" Orochimaru gave his ally a smug smirk. "Send me clone, and I will solve your design flaw after I finish… catching up lost time with Tenzo."
The memory ended there, and Naruto found no follow up on it. Instead, Orochimaru's focus had turned on the invasion of Konoha, letting this problem slide in a corner of his mind. The Sannin had obviously intended to betray the organization, and had no intention of helping them any longer.
Suddenly, Naruto understood everything.
Akatsuki had possibly dozens of these 'Zetsu' in his employ. They could shapeshift into people, were apparently undetectable, and could not be discovered until after death.
The summit…
All the world's most powerful people gathered in a single place.
It clicked.
At this point, Naruto didn't know if he should be impressed by the plan's sheer audacity, or horrified by its consequences.
Naruto returned to reality, panting profusely. "So," Jiraiya asked, "Found something?"
"We need to call the Mizukage, no, everyone," Naruto shuddered, "It's even worse than we thought."
"Wait, what did you see exactly?"
"He's going to take over the world," Naruto replied grimly, "And nobody will even notice."
"So…" Kisame trailed. "You have been sparring with Yugao. Again."
Both his 'know-it-all-tone' and amused, sly grin made Itachi shudder. He briefly checked if Yugao and the others were listening, but fortunately, they were focusing on the road out of the forest. "I needed to keep my skills sharp."
"You two go into the woods together the morning for training exercises," Kisame chuckled, "You leave the poor me all alone with the crazies."
"Jealous?"
"A bit. I miss our old sparring matches. I still remember that time you pulled off your Susanoo for a swordfight. One of the best I experienced."
"It was the first time I ever manifested it," Itachi admitted, "I admit our battles were thrilling."
"So far, you and Yugao haven't blown up a mountain yet. I look forward to seeing you do it."
"Yugao is…" Itachi trailed. "Charming. I enjoy her company. I do not have a word of it."
"Ah," Kisame muttered, as if he had just realized something important, "And for years I thought you were… no, never mind."
"You thought I was what?"
"Eh… it's nothing really."
"Come on, do tell."
"You couldn't stop talking about your brother, I figured out you know… liked him."
"I did like, he was my brother."
"No, I mean, liked, as in, like, like."
"… from now on, I will act as if we never had this conversation, and we shall never speak of it again."
"Agreed."
"But what does it have to do with Yugao?"
"Figure it out, genius," Kisame said, before focusing on Fuu, "Are we there yet?"
"Stop asking it every single hour!" The jinchuuriki complained. "That's annoying!"
Kisame briefly fell silent, before smirking. "… are we there yet?"
"I'm so going to kick the cr- here!"
Itachi frowned, attempting to stress his eyes and see clearly. It took him a few seconds to visualize it.
A hole.
Well, hole didn't quite fit. An enormous, gapping maw separated the ground in front of them, surrounded by broken trees and torn apart grass. As the group approached it, Itachi glanced inside it, and found himself unable to see. The sunlight itself could not expose what laid at the bottom.
Then, two large, colossal snake's eyes opened in the darkness, each of them bigger than Han himself. "Great, more mongrels," a raspy voice resonated through the clearing, "As if that old geezer interrupting my nap had not been enough."
"Manda," Itachi recognized the voice.
"So you do remember the name of the future master of the universe," the snake replied, "Good, good. I think I will be merciful and spare you. Now be gone and let the superior specie sleep."
"There cannot be a superior specie, as it would mean the Han has equals."
"Is this the entrance to the Ryuchi Cave?" Fuu asked, ignoring her partner.
"You are not going to leave, are you?" Manda groaned. "Yes, this is one of the entrances, and it is my turn to keep it. Do not think about passing. There are thousands of tunnels down there, each of them intertwined together. Some lead nowhere, and others, to a painful death. Without a guide, you would spend years trying to find your way."
"And you are not going to lead us down there, aren't you?" Yugao frowned.
"Nope, not a chance. You should already be thankful I am not in the mood for a quick snack… yet."
"Meh, the Han says he's going to turn you into a purse and boots if you do not cooperate."
Manda chuckled. "During what you humans called your Third Shinobi War, I fought a previous holder of the Five-Tails, and crushed his bones into powder. You are no match for me, you oversized ape."
"We need to get down there!" Fuu protested. "Besides, I have already been in the cave! Why can't we be allowed inside?"
"The White Sage wants no more humans inside his lair, end of the story," Manda replied, "Get lost, before I lose patience."
"Not until we meet Naruto," Fuu insisted, clenching her fists. Kisame grabbed the pommel of his sword, while Han tensed visibly…
"Stop!" a small voice hissed, as a long black serpent slithered out of the hole, "Everyone calm down!" The creature faced the assembled humans. "It has been a long time!"
"Apophis!" Fuu smiled. "How have you been?"
"Pretty fine, grown up a few inches. I think I finally reached my growth spurt." The small serpent turned toward Manda. "It's alright, daddy, they're friends."
"Daddy?"
"I told you not to call me this in front of such animals," Manda scorned his progeny, "Did the old geezer sent you?"
"Indeed, he predicted their coming. I have been sent to escort them to the cave."
"What is the point of keeping these damn entries if everyone is allowed inside?" Manda complained. "Damn it, when the old man kicks the bucket and I am fully in charge, things will change."
"Dad, you're rambling again…"
"But, but…" Fuu frowned. "How can you be parent and son? You are not even the same snake specie."
"Oh, that?" Manda snorted. "I looked like the kid when I was his age. Until I had my growth spurt. Took two tons the first year, three more the next."
"The Han could do that too if the Han wanted…" Han muttered under his breath. "Unfortunately the Han does not have the budget for that much food yet."
"Anyway…" Apophis coughed. "Would you kindly follow me? The descent will take hours."
When he told Mei, the Mizukage blinked several times. "I'm afraid I misheard. Do you mind repeating that?"
"He's going to kill everybody at the summit, somehow, and replace them with Zetsu clones," Naruto explained in dread, "Since these creatures can impersonate others to the point of fooling the most powerful sensors and their shapeshifting hold under force… nobody will realize they have been replaced. These clones will obey Akatsuki, and Akatsuki alone. The five nations will fall under their control, with no one the wiser."
"That's insane," Mei replied, "The Kage Summit is the most secure place on earth. There is no way Akatsuki could kill and replace anyone there."
"Unless…" Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Unless it's not the first time they pulled it off."
Mei frowned. "You cannot imply-"
"Think about it!" Naruto cut in. "Akatsuki has abducted and sealed six Jinchuuriki, some of them belonging to great nations like Iwa or Kumo! Why have they been allowed to run amok for so long? Because they have Zetsu agents infiltrated in the higher spheres of power, probably for years! For all we know, the Tsuchikage and the Land of Earth's Daimyo could have been replaced long ago!"
"I see…" Mei continued. "If we follow this logic, then some of the organizers and guests of the Summit are agents of Akatsuki. They will be in the perfect position to organize a trap."
"Still, how can they hope to kill the Kage without attracting attention?" the White Sage asked. "Killing one is difficult, let alone five of them."
"They managed to capture six Bijuu and nearly bring Konoha to the brink of destruction," Jiraiya noted grimly. "With people like Deidara, they could probably destroy the entire Land of Iron along with the summit if they wanted to."
Naruto locked eyes with Mei. "We have to inform everyone."
"If we make this public, then Tobi will adapt his plans," Mei pointed out, "For now, we have the advantage. We know what he is planning, but he does not know we know. We have a few days ahead of us left, and we can use them to prepare a counterattack."
"Tobi will believe the Summit is his trap," Jiraiya nodded, "When in truth, it will be a trap for Akatsuki."
"He is arrogant," Naruto said, "If we bait him right, if we prepare enough… we could kill him for good, and wipe out Akatsuki once and for all."
"I will inform Tsunade immediately," Jiraiya said, glancing at Mei, "We need to coordinate on this."
"The Kiri's delegation will stop at Konoha, since it is on the way to the Land of Iron," Mei replied, "Since we have already cooperated against Suna, it would not surprise anyone both of our delegations meet earlier and travel together."
Jiraiya glanced at Naruto. "And you, brat?"
"I will catch up to you at the summit," Naruto replied, "Beside the fact I'm currently wanted by… well, everyone, I should stay under the radar as long as possible. I also have some equipment to prepare."
"On the way to the Three Wolves Mountains, there is a small frozen lake," Mei said, "The day before the summit, our two delegations will stop there."
"I shall be present," Naruto promised.
"Then it's settled," the White Snake whispered, "I believe both of you, Terumi-san and Jiraiya-san, should now leave and prepare."
"Jiraiya-san, if you try hitting on me on the way out, I will kill you. You are warned." Mei then gave Naruto a sly smirk. "Take care of yourself, Naruto-kun. I look forward to seeing you once more."
"… damn it, and I thought I had a shot." Jiraiya shrugged, before giving a light tap to Naruto's back. "See you around brat."
Naruto waved a goodbye at both and watched them leave the Snake's throne room, before turning toward the serpent elder once the two ninjas out of sight. "Alone."
The White Snake nodded, shifting on his throne.
"The dragon wants to meet you."
For a few seconds, Naruto thought he had misheard, only for the White Snake to confirm it. "Our lord has invited you to his lair," the elder serpent said, "Few of our summoners have had this honor. For a human to catch his interest… very rare indeed."
"So Apophis wasn't kidding?" Naruto glanced at the large tunnel behind the snake's throne. "This… is really leading to a dragon's lair?"
"Not a dragon," the White Snake replied, "The dragon. The king of all reptiles, the first snake to have ever shed his skin and achieved flight. I would suggest you not to make him wait. Patience has never been the virtue of gods."
Naruto gulped, and took a step forward. Once in front of the tunnel, he found only darkness waiting for him.
Inhaling sharply, the Jinchuuriki entered.
The tunnel wasn't all that long. Large, yes, enough to have a snake as large as Manda slitter through, but not especially long. It took only a few minutes to reach the tunnel's end, a large, underground lake of pure crystal water. Shining purple crystals growing on the rocky walls provided a dim, weak light. Naruto stressed his eyes, but couldn't see much farther. He did notice two large rock formations in the distance, two small hills of stone emerging from the lake, but he couldn't exactly see the end of the cave.
In all likelihood, this cave was the size of Konoha, if not larger.
Reaching the lake's shore, Naruto waited for something to happen, only to be welcomed by silence. "Is anybody there?" he asked, approaching the water.
The water shook.
A large, dark form started rising out of the water, slowly, but with each slow move causing the cave to tremble. In spite of his bravery, Naruto couldn't help but take a step back, as he realized something truly terrifying.
These rock formations weren't underground mountains.
They were the dragon's horns.
When the creature's head emerged from water, leaving the rest of the body under water. However, this mere head alone was easily the size of a small hill. The beast's golden eyes were ten times larger than Naruto himself, and the monster's maw was a pit of smoke and fire. Its scales were blue like shinigan sapphire, and a golden mane was growing between its colossal horns. Upon gazing at the beast, Naruto suddenly felt all his confidence and resolve leave him.
That creature was to Manda, what Manda was to a lowly snake.
"Naruto Uzumaki, son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki." A powerful, awe-inspiring voice resonated inside Naruto's skull, as the blonde felt the creature's mighty spirit impressing its thoughts inside his brain. "You face the divine king of all reptiles. My breath is a hurricane, and my eyes are brighter than the stars. When I stir in my sleep, the earth trembles. When I fly, all of life fall silent in awe, for I am the Dragon, and my power almighty."
Naruto repressed the urge to scream, as he felt the creature's mental touch reach deeper inside his skull, extracting information at its leisure. It was akin to being hit in the face by a sledgehammer, to have a drill piercing through his skull. The pressure suddenly vanished, as the Dragon had finished learning everything of value.
"I know everything there is to know about you, child," the Dragon mentally whispered, Naruto's heart being suddenly filled by an odd feeling of peace. "Yet, you know nothing of me. I shall give you the honor of listening to my tale."
Naruto, unwilling to tempt the creature, simply bowed in respect and listened.
"I was old when the world was young," the dragon narrated, "I was born in an era when your ancestors were no different from apes. I was but a lowly serpent, a horned viper by your books. One day, when I crawled out of my lair, I saw a hawk open his wings and fly. I was fascinated, mesmerized. At this instant, I decided I would fly too. I would fly and reach the sun and the moon alike. Nothing would convince me otherwise."
The idea this beast had once been no bigger than a viper made Naruto's skin scrawl. He had seen the countless snakes of the Ryuchi Cave. Which of them would reach this size in centuries?
"I had no wing. Yet, I tried to fly. I escalated the highest waterfall of the land, and launched myself in vain, mending my wounds and trying again. It was a foolish dream, but I tried again, and again, and again. I lost count of how many times I attempted to defy nature itself. In the end… nature gave up first.
"I launched myself into the air one more time but I did not fall to the ground. I flew through the clouds and the azure. My scales turned into an armor, my claws came to be, and into swords. My breath became fire, and I could control the winds and the seas. Through my determination, I had overcome my limitations. I was a serpent no longer; I had shed my skin, and taken my flight. I had become the first dragon.
"You too look after an impossible dream," the Dragon continued, "You wish to become a great ninja, without a chakra. A crippled man wishing to walk. You are a wingless bird wishing to fly. A lowly viper wishing to become a dragon. Know, Naruto Uzumaki, that no dream is unreachable. The world does not belong to the smartest, the strongest, the cruelest. It belongs to those who are too stubborn to give up."
Naruto nodded. "I will take this lesson to heart."
"However, no matter how priceless it is, wisdom shall not be my only gift to you today, faithful summoner."
A light shined in front of Naruto, and a floating, double-edged sword materialized in front of him. The Jinchuuriki instantly recognized it. "Is this-"
"The sword of Kusanagi, once owned by the one you called Orochimaru," the dragon confirmed, "He too, was a snake that wished to be a dragon. He too had an impossible dream, to surpass mortality itself and achieve eternal life. He died his hopes unfulfilled, the Kusanagi tainted by the blood he shed for a goal he could not reach. Yet, he died trying to defy fate. It is little different from what you try to do today. All of those who wielded the Kusanagi had a dream too. Some fulfilled it, many failed to do so. Now, it is your turn for your resolve to be tested. "
"I have seen what shall happen. You shall meet the one called Obito Uchiha in battle. Only one shall walk out of it. You shall either die a lowly snake, or shed your skin and achieve your dream. Your hope will be shattered if found wanting… but should you stay faithful to your path, if you truly wish to defy the fate enforced on you, then wear this blade as a badge of pride."
Naruto grabbed the blade's pommel. It felt so light, and warm, the sword itself radiating warmth. It certainly was not a sensation one would expect from the main weapon of Orochimaru. "I swear to you," he said, "I shall not betray my dream."
"The day has come for you to rise," the Dragon said, "Take your flight, Naruto Uzumaki, and grow wings."
A/N: took me months for this one, but it has come out. The last months have been time consuming for me like you wouldn't believe.
So occupied Naruto ended in the meantime. With the epilogue published, and the final movie out, the adventure is over after ten years of hard work on Kishi's end.
You know, Naruto was pretty much the first Manga I ever read, alongside Death Note. I had always been a writing guy, with a large number of unpublished fics, one shots, and incomplete first drafts accumulated over the years... but it was Naruto that convinced me to publish my first serious fic, Echoes. Not the best work I did, but the first serious one.
Naruto had a very strong beginning, with excellent individual arcs. I thought it lost some of its quality in Part II, and ran out of steam by the narrative disaster that was the Madara/Kaguya arc. However, it managed to end on a somewhat satisfying note. I might have criticized the manga, either in AN or parodies, but in the end... I'm a Naruto fan. A cranky, grumpy one, yes, but a Naruto fan all the same.
I might not have liked all of this manga, but I would definitively recommend it to anybody. Kishimoto did a hell of a job at world building, and even more so, had the dedication to write such a colossal manga over a decade. In so, he deserves congrats, and most importantly, I truly wish him luck with his next work, whatever it might be.
I doubt I will follow the new series, but it has been one hell of a roller-caster ride. It had ups and downs, but it had been an unforgettable experience.
I doubt I'm going to write more Naruto fics after finishing Atlas and Echoes, as I have started working on more professional works... but I'm definitively going to finish these fics. No matter what it takes.
On the chapter itself:
The conversation with the Dragon had been a moment I planned for a long, long time, and been foreshadowed nearly since the very introduction of the Ryuchi Cave. The Dragon's story is based on an Asian legend where a Koi fish turned into a dragon after climbing a waterfall and attempting flight. It thought it was a good metaphor for Naruto's attempt at overcoming his own limitations. As far as I have planned, it will not show up again until the story's epilogue.
Six more chapters and Atlas ends. Promises, it will end on a satisfying note.
Would you kindly leave a review before leaving?
PS: I've been informed Atlas recently obtained a Tv Tropes page. All those interested in checking or adding to it are welcome.
